Power-driven fountain brush



March 1954 R. v. RUCKER 7 4 POWER-DRIVEN FOUNTAIN BRUSH Filed Sept. 19, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR QALPH V. Qucuan.

ATTORNEY:

Patented Mar. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v 2,671,914 POWER-DRIVEN FOUNTAIN BRUSH [Ralph VQRuker, Charleston, W. Va. Application September 19, 1952, Serial No. 310,492 I H w 2 Claims. (01.15-22) This invention relates to brush construction, and more particularly, has reference to a brush of the fountain type, that is'adapted to be power driven in a manner effective to reciprocate a brush element over a surface to be conditioned, while at the same time pumping liquid to said element.

I am aware that heretofore, fountain brushes have been devised, and that there have also been devised power driven brushes. However, it is proposed, in accordance'with the present invention, to provide a brush wherein there is embodied a novel arrangement for positively pumping liquid to a brush element, while simultaneously reciprocating said'element over a surface to be conditioned by the liquid.

Among the important objects of the invention are the following:

First, to provide a brush of'the character referred to which, while discharging efiiciently the functions summarized above, will at the same time be compact, and light, so as to be capable of being held in the hand during the surfaceconditioning operation;

Second, to provide a brush as described wherein a motor will be mounteddirectly within the handle portion of the brush; and'will be adapted to drive a motion-translating linkage, that is operatively associated with a reciprocating brush element and with a pump means, to cause simultaneous operation of the same;

Third, to provide affountain' brush as stated wherein a body of relatively small size will contain a liquid reservoir, a pump, and saidmotiontranslating linkage, with said reservoir being sealed 01f from the portion of the' body containing the linkage, while still being operatively associated with said pump and the reciprocating brush element for the purpose of permitting fluid to be pumped to the brush element;

Fourth, to provide a brush as stated in which the component parts will be so arranged relative to one another as to cause fluid to be supplied to the brush element only when the brush element is being reciprocated, the construction being such as to cause the flow of liquid to the brush element to be stopped whenever motion of the brush element is stopped; and

Fifth, to providea brush as-described which can be manufactured-at relatively low cost considering the benefitsto be obtained from-the use thereof, will be substantially trouble free" in operation, and will permit substitution of various elements to be reciprocated.

Other objects-will appear from the following description, the appended thereto, and

from the annexed drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a brush formed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is an edge elevational view, taken from the right of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view, taken substantially on line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view, taken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 1, at right angles to the cutting plane of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged, detail sectional view on line 55 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view, on line 8-6 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral ID has been applied generally to a handle portion, said handle portion having a grip [2 at one end adapted to be readily grasped by the hand of a user. The grip l2 merges, intermediate the opposite ends of the handle portion l0, into a belled housing section It, separably engaged with a complementary housing section It having outwardly extended, apertured ears I8. receiving fastening elements whereby the handle portion can be connected fixedly to a main body to be described hereinafter.- The sections [4, l6 cooperate to define a hollow housing for an electric motor 20, which is driven by power supplied through a cord 22, it being understood that the cord 22 will be provided with a conventional plug, not shown, engageable within a suitable electric outlet, also not shown.

The body of the device has been designated generally by the reference numeral 24, and is of box-like configuration, said body including a side wall 26 rectangular in cross section, the side wall being integral at one end with an upper end wall 28, which closes the body at that end thereof connected to the handle portion. The fastening elements extending through the ears I8 will, as will be appreciated, be threadedly engaged in the end wall 28 to rigidly join the handle portion to the body. I

Intermediate its opposite ends, the body 24 is integrally formed with a transverse partition 30, thus to define, between the partition 30 and the end wall 28, a reservoir 32 for a liquid tobe distributed.

Arranged centrally within the reservoir 32, and extending from the end wall 28 to the partition 30, is a hollow, cylindrical drive shaft housing 34, in which is rotatably mounted a drive shaft 36 rotated by the motor 20.

The drive shaft 36 extends beyond the partition 30, into a drive linkage housing 3| defined between the partition 30 and the outer end of the body 24. Within the housing or chamber 3|, the drive shaft 36 has secured thereto a beveled drive gear 38, that is in mesh with a beveled driven gear 4'9. The driven gear 49, as will be noted from Figure 4, is integral or otherwise rigid with a sleeve 42, a gear segment 44 being fixedly secured to said sleeve and being disposed in concentric relation to the gear 49.

Extending through the sleeve 42 is a driven shaft 46, said driven shaft being disposed transversely of the body 24 within the drive linkage chamber 3|, and being journaled at its opposite ends in opposed walls of the chamber. A set screw 48 is threadable through the wall of the sleeve 42, into engagement with the shaft 46, for securing the shaft to the sleeve 42, gear 40, and gear segment 44, for joint rotation therewith.

In one end of the driven shaft 46, I form a threaded, axially disposed recess 50, in which is engaged a screw 52, a washer 54 being circumposed about the screw.

The other end of the shaft 46 has a reduced, threaded end portion 56, extending into an elongated slot 58 of a guide plate 60. The guide plate 60 is disposed exteriorly of the body 24, and has sliding movement along the side wall of said body, whereby the guide plate can be adjustably extended from the body in a direction away from the handle portion l0. The purpose of the guide plate is to protect certain surfaces from the paint or other liquid to-be distributed. Thus, in the use of the device, it is possible that a wall might be painted, within which is provided awindow frame or the like. The guide plate 60 will prevent the window frame from being covered with the paint applied to the wall surface.

At its outer end, the guide plate 69 is beveled as at 62, to permit said guide plate to be extended into relatively confined areas during the painting operation.

Circumposed about the reduced portion 56 of the shaft 46 is a washer 94, engaging against the outer surface of the guide plate 99, a nut '66 being threaded upon said reduced shaft portion against the washer.

Within the chamber 3|, I provide a rack formed as a rectangular frame {58, the shaft 46 being disposed transversely of and extending through said frame. On opposed side portions of the frame 68, rows of rack teeth are formed, said rack teeth meshing with the segment 44, in selected positions to which the segment is rotated.

By reason of the construction so far illustrated and described, it will be apparent that on rotation of the shaft 36, the segment 44 will be rotated, and as a result, the teeth of the segment will first mesh with one row of rack teeth 19, to shift the frame 68 in one direction within the chamber 3|, and will then mesh with the other row of rack teeth, to shift the frame 68 in an opposite direction. In this way, the frame 68 is reciprocated continuously within the body 24 during operation of the motor 20.

Fixedly secured to one side of the frame 59, at locations spaced longitudinally of said frame, are depending legs 12, integral or otherwise made rigid at their outer ends with cross bars '14 (Figure 4), the opposite ends of the respective cross bars being slidably engaged in opposed, channeled guides 16 fixedly mounted on the inner surfaces of opposed walls of the drive linkage chamber 3|. The legs 12 are also rigidly connected to a reciprocating head 18, said head being disposed in the outer open end of the body 24.

As will be noted from Figure 4, the head 18 has grooves formed in opposite sides thereof, said grooves extending longitudinally of the head, from end to end thereof. A brush base 82 has secured thereto a brush element 84, projecting through and beyond the open end of the body 24. In this connection, the brush base can be stamped or otherwise formed. from a single piece of metal material, having inturned guide flanges engaging slidably within the grooves 80 of the head 18, said brush base being additionally formed with a flanged receptacle portion 86 in which the inner ends of the bristles of the brush element are fixedly secured.

It will be understood, in this regard, that although the inturned flanges of the brush base can be slidably extended into and out of engagement with the grooves 80 of the head 18, they will be normally engaged frictionally within said grooves, to connect the brush base and the base element carried thereby to the head 18 in a manner effective to cause movement of the brush element with the head 18 when the rack frame 68 is reciprocated within the body. If desired, a set screw 88 can be provided (Figure 3), threadable through the brush base into the reciprocating head 19, for the purpose of insuring absolutely the connection of the brush base to the head for reciprocation jointly therewith.

During its reciprocating movement within the body 24, the brush base 82 is guided by slidable mounting thereof on opposed shoulders 99 integrally formed in the open upper end of the body 24.

Referring to the reservoir 32, said reservoir can be filled with a suitable liquid, by removal of a filler cap 92 from a threaded opening formed in the wall of the reservoir.

Means is embodied in the invention for pumping liquid from the reservoir to a location at which it will be forced'through the brush element 84, and to this end, a pump housing 94 is integrally formed upon the side wall 26 of the body 24. The pump housing 94 includes an inlet passage 96, communicating at one end with the reservoir 32, and at its other end with a piston chamber I90. A spring-restrained ball check valve 98 is disposed in the pump inlet passage 96, and is so arranged within said passage as to permit liquid to'flow from the reservoir to the piston chamber I00, while preventing return flow of said liquid to theligeservoir. The check valve. in this regard; n" "11y closes the inlet passage 95, so as to preven quid from moving from the reservoir to the brush element whenever the device is not in use. I

The piston chamber I00 is normally closed, but whenever it is desired to have access to the interior of said chamber, for maintenance purposes, a closure cap I04, threadedly engaged in a threaded end portion of said chamber, is removed.

Mounted for reciprocation within the chamber I00 isa pump piston I06, said piston being secured to one end of. a piston rod I08, the other end of which is fixedly connected to the rack frame 68. Thus, when reciprocating motion is imparted to the rack frame 6'8, the piston I98 will be reciprocated within the chamber I69, and will set up a suction therein, effective to open the check valve 98 and draw fluid from the reservoir 32.

The fluid pumped from the reservoir 32 is forced into a pump outlet passage Ill provided in the pump housing 94, said passage HG being exposed for cleaning or maintenance purposes, whenever desired, by removing the cap H2.

The pump outlet passage l H3 extends into communication with a main supply passage 5, tending transversely of the body 24, and formed in a thickened portion of the side wall 25 of the body. The main supply passage H4, at locations spaced longitudinally thereof (Figure 5), is in communi ation with branch passages lit, said branch passages opening adjacent the brush element 84, as shown in Figure 4.

Thus, it is to be observed that on operation of the motor 26, not only will the brush element 84 be reciprocated transversely of the body as, but also, liquid contained within the reservoir 32 will be pumped to the brush element, so as to pass through said brush element onto a surface over which the brush element is being moved. Of course, whenever operation of the motor 253 is stopped, the brush element will hecome stationary, while at the same time the pump will cease operation and will permit the check valve to close the reservoir, thus to prevent liquid from moving to the brush element whenever the device is not in operation.

In the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the body would be integrally molded in a single piece, so as to define therein the reservoir 32, drive linkage chamber 3i, and pump housing 94.

It is also believed to be an impor ant characteristic of the invention that the is so connected to the reel 0 ting head as to be capable of removal therefrom whenever desired. In this way, it is possible to substitute for the brush element another type of element, such as a sander or the like, not shown.

It is believed apparent that the '"ivention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it suited. Nor is limited to the and described, intended to be operation and the means presently devised to carry out said principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Power-driven brush apparatus of the fountain type comprising: a body having a reservoir at one end for a liquid to be distributed; a handle portion secured to said end of the body; a brush element reciprocably mounted on the other end of the body, the body having passages communicating between the element and reservoir for supplying liquid to said element; a motor mounted in said handle portion; a pump on the body associated with said passages and arranged to pump liquid therethrough from the reservoir to the element; and a drive linkage carried by the body the invention to be new specific construction illustrated since such construction is only illustrative of the principles of intermediate the element and reservoir and connected between the motor and the element and pump respectively, said linkage being arranged to impart reciprocating motion to the element and drive the pump responsive to operation of the motor, for supplying liquid to the element and distributing said liquid over a surface to be conditioned thereby, said linkage including a rotary drive shaft extending from the motor within the body, a rack mounted in the body for reciprocating movement and connected fixedly to the element, a pump piston having a connection to the rack for reciprocation of the piston with the rack, and means associated with the drive shaft and rack respectively and adapted for translating rotary motion or" the shaft into reciprocating motion of the rack.

2. Power-driven brush apparatus of the fountain type comprising: a body having a reservoir at one end for a liquid to be distributed; a handle portion secured to said end of the body; a brush element reciprocably mounted on the other end of the body, the body having passages communicating between the element and reservoir for supplying liquid to said element; a motor mounted in said handle portion; a pump on the body associated with said passages and arranged to pump liquid therethrough from the reservoir to the element; and a drive linkage carried by the body intermediate the element and reservoir and connected between the motor and the element and pump rspectively, said linkage being arranged to impart reciprocating motion to the element and drive the pump responsive to operation of the motor, for supplying liquid to the element and distributing said liquid over a surface to be conditioned thereby, said linkage including a rotary drive shaft extending from the motor within the body, a rack mounted in the body for reciprocating movement and connected fixedly to the element, a pump piston having a connection to the rack for reciprocation of the piston with the rack, and means associated with the drive shaft and rack respectively and adapted for translating rotary motion of the shaft into reciprocating motion of the rack, said means including a drive gear secured to the shaft, a driven gear meshing with the drive gear and journaled within the body, and a gear segment secured to the driven gear to rotate therewith, said rack being formed as a rectangular frame having opposed rows of rack teeth alternately meshing withe the segment responsive to rotation of said segment with the driven gear.

RALPH V. RUCKER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,519,530 Chan Dec. 16, 1924 1,661,510 Sproston Mar. 6, 1928 1,813,281 Soss Aug. 11, 1931 2,347,470 Dillin Apr. 25, 1944 

